"Stuffing," Orlando said for about the tenth time that day, once again answering the ever-popular question—what's your favorite food for the holidays? He looked at the clock. Was the day anywhere close to being done yet?

"Mmm," Tait said in agreement.

Ignore her. Again.

He'd been doing that a lot. They had two classes together before lunch, and one after. He was being civil with her, responding when she spoke, but he wasn't going out of his way to engage her either. It helped him to think clearer and be more objective with his observations of her. He'd decided to give her the benefit of the doubt, sure, but he also wasn't going to completely ignore Angela's warning either.

If Tait said she got into a fight with her parents, then he believed it. Even if they were laid-back like Angela claimed, everyone had a breaking point. It certainly explained the harsh reaction. The seed of doubt was still planted. He wouldn't be blind to the possibility.

"Mom makes some pretty awesome stuffing," she added.

Don't say it, don't say it, don't say it. But he did anyway. "I'll just have to take your word on it since I won't get to find out."

"So that's why you're quiet," she said.

He was about to say something perfect and sarcastic in response, but held his tongue when he noticed the teacher giving them a scolding look. They weren't supposed to be talking over the other students.

Instead he shook his head. They didn't have to talk about it right then and there anyway. Eventually, the class was given a diagram to color and told to do whatever they wanted as long as it was quiet and they remained in their seats. Orlando still didn't want to talk. Airing his business where everyone could hear never sat well with him. Tait didn't seem to care.

"I thought you said you understood," Tait pressed as she was able.

"I do," he said and pulled out his colored pencils so he could get to work. Orlando didn't put much creative effort into the project, simply coloring in-between the lines.

"So then why are you—"

"It's got nothing to do with you." He glanced at her and they made eye contact.

"You're ignoring me like it's got something to do with me."

"The only thing I feel is disappointed, but I'm used to it," he said honestly. That was as close to the truth as she was going to get. All of the other details didn't feel relevant. "I'm just trying to get through the day, so I can get through the next few days, and then when I come back on Monday I'll be my usual happy-go-lucky Mary Sunshine self. Promise."

Tait snorted softly. "You? Mary Sunshine?" But she leaned over to him and gave a nudge before risking a soft kiss to his cheek. Then she lowered her voice. "I didn't mean to disappoint you. Maybe I can sneak out tonight? We had talked about Saturday, but since that doesn't work for you maybe tonight does?"

"Depends on when and where you want me to be," he said with a sly smile. "I can't be out late tonight. Need my beauty sleep and all that jazz, but I wouldn't mind a we're-free-from-school celebration."

He didn't know how much he wanted to hang out necessarily, but it might be good for him instead of sitting at home alone until his outing with Alan and the others. Orlando would have plenty of time to himself over Thanksgiving as well as the weekend.

Tait pulled out her own pencils and started to color, taking time to put extra details into her shading. "The mall sound good to you? Maybe at around eight or so? That'll give us a good hour together before it closes. I'd say earlier, but I don't think I can sneak out as easily."

"Yeah, sounds good to me."

That would give him plenty of time to have a decent date, and downtime to get himself ready for his mission. He had to get himself into the mindset of "hero". A loose label, but how else did he describe what they were about to do?

Gazing at her page intently for a moment, she then paused and set her pencil down. Her eyes softened and then glistened with tears. "Good, because I do want to try and make it up to you. Bailing on you I mean. It's not fair, and I know you've had more than your share of that before. Not a good standard to be setting, huh?"

"Don't make a big deal out of it Tait, please."

"I don't like being a disappointment."

"And I don't like talking about this stuff. I said it was fine, and that's kind of all that matters right?"

She shrugged. "I still disappointed you. So it matters to me."

He sighed and resisted the urge to roll his eyes. The perfectionist in her was starting to come out. "Then I guess you'll just have to do double the work at Christmas, is that better? Is that what you want me to say? When it's okay, I mean it. Can we enjoy the rest of the day now?"

"Sure."

"Good. The moping doesn't suit you. Every other challenge I've seen you come up against, you've taken straight on."

"I want to make sure I get this right," she said and pointed to the two of them. "Us, I mean."

He held her gaze for a moment. "Okay, but I'm supposed to be the pessimistic one. Unless you're converting to my dark ways. I won't complain. You'd look pretty hot in black." He cracked a smile, trying to be funny. She smiled too, so it must have at least sort of worked.

"I'd have to dye my hair," Tait said and twirled some of her blonde hair on a finger. "Besides, isn't it one of your Gothic fantasies to take advantage of the poor, sweet, innocent cheerleader?"

"When you describe it like that, you make us seem so cliché."

She gave his hand a squeeze. "Most of the good things in life are. Everyone wants to be happy, and people want a lot of the same things."

Orlando nodded and finished coloring. Time to get a head start on his homework for the weekend. Most of it was reading or researching for some kind of project that was due at the end of the semester. There'd be a lot of free time over the weekend, but the sooner he could get it done, the better. He had video games to play, books to read, and a pupil to train.

"You know," he said as he turned the page of his Spanish book. "You never did tell me what the fight with your Dad was about. Figured maybe you'd want my manly shoulder to cry on. If not, humor me and pretend you do?"

"I do want your manly shoulder. I want all of you."

She leaned her head on him as if to prove her point. He didn't want to read too much into her statement. All of him could have been a number of things. Rather than assume and make himself sick with nerves, again, he'd ignore the comment.

"I didn't want to say anything last night because I didn't want them to freak out on me even more," she continued.

"Understandable, so...?"

She lowered her voice to just above a whisper. "My parents are mad at me because I want to quit cheerleading."

"I thought you liked being on the squad?" Orlando asked.

In fact, Tait's devotion to the team was impressive. He'd never seen anyone love something so much. Which was saying a lot because his dad was obsessed with golf. Tait lived and breathed cheerleading. It didn't make sense for her to want to quit.

Her focus remained on her worksheet, almost as if she were afraid to look at him. "I do to a point. There's a lot of other things I need to put my all into. Like getting into college, I hear that's important. Besides, cheering for the other teams isn't as fun as football. I might not quit completely. There's still next year too, so I don't know why it's a huge deal."

"So why are your parents throwing such a huge fit over it to the point where they'll ground you?"

"It's not quite like being grounded. He just said maybe I need some time to think about things for myself without your influence, or something. Apparently it's your fault, but they don't want me to quit because of image. I've been cheering since seventh or eighth grade. I'm the youngest captain in a long time. Maybe they're worried I'll lose that. I don't know."

Orlando nodded, again, only sort of understanding. Lyssa cared about image too. After Dallas died, there was a period of time when his sister had tried to push him back into doing the activities he used to partake in. Football, speech and debate, golf, tennis, even bowling. Around a year ago she'd given up on the idea. He wasn't interested and that was all there was to it. It made everyone's life easier.

"Are you going to be okay?" he asked. She nodded. He continued. "Okay, good. If they give you more problems, remind them how rich I am. That usually helps with all the image issues. Besides, if anyone is corrupting someone, it's you. Lyssa is noticing, and she's going on and on about how you're making me 'normal' again."

"My parents are not that shallow."

"I'm apparently not funny anymore."

"Nope. I'm going to get you a joke book for Christmas."

"How thoughtful of you." He frowned. "Is this where we rub noses or something else as equally disgusting?"

She laughed. "Please don't. I think I'm catching a cold so my nose is all gross."

"Ew."

"Tell me about it."

The bell rang. He had one more class until lunch when he'd get to see her again. They'd share a table alone where they'd continue to "make up".

Every other day they sat together in the cafeteria. Sometimes she went to join her friends and those were the days he ate in the library, the back corner of the cafeteria, or with her brother. He'd tried to eat with her friends and cheerleading companions a few times, but the girls gave him a headache.

Too much talking happening at once and it was always loud and fast. Their respective boyfriends were there too of course, but they tended to ignore Orlando. He didn't want to be included, so it all worked out. Their system worked, and that's all that mattered.

"I'll see you soon," Orlando said as he walked her out of the room, and was surprised when she responded to him by giving him a firm, slow kiss on the lips. When she pulled away, she was blushing.

"You said we could be more affectionate in public."

"Uh-huh," he managed, completely flustered. He hadn't expected her to take him seriously, but he kind of liked it and that she wasn't ashamed of him. After a second or two, he found his voice again. "Hope I don't catch that cold."

"I said my nose was gross, not the rest of me. I'll see you soon. Thanks for being so great. Someday I'll pay you back." Tait gave his hands a squeeze before jogging off in the opposite direction as they both made their way to class.

"Wow," he breathed and jumped when Peyton spoke.

"What's wow now?"

"Your sister."

Peyton scowled. "I do not want to know."

Orlando shook his head. "We've talked about this. Our relationship isn't like that. I'd rather you not demolish my kidneys with your fists."

"Glad you remember. Another reason why I like you so much," Peyton said with a grin.

He was the typical quarterback of the football team, but much like his sister he didn't seclude himself to only one social circle. The two were a lot alike. Peyton was more laid-back which was a plus. It made him all the easier to get along with.

Orlando ran a hand coolly through his unnaturally black hair. "I'm sure there are a lot of those. I mean, what's not to like? I'm a dreamboat."

"Um, sure?" Peyton laughed. "On a more serious note, I wanted to say how bummed I am you're not going to be around tomorrow. I tried so hard to make it happen, but I got overruled."

Orlando pinched the bridge of his nose and that was all the sign Peyton should have needed to shut up, but he didn't.

"I wish I understood their beef. Cheering is one of the few things that makes her happy. Why force her to quit?"

"Huh?" Didn't she say they wanted her to stay on the squad? Orlando had heard correctly, he was positive. The conversation happened all of five minutes ago and he didn't forget important things.

"Didn't make sense to me either. If her grades don't get back up though..." Peyton paused and must have noticed Orlando frowning at this point because he did too. "She didn't talk to you about this yet?"

Play dumb, Orlando decided. He shook his head. "We haven't been around to do much talking. Just some vague things."

"Then I'll let her share the details."

"All right."

Orlando was too confused to keep the conversation going and was happy to see his next classroom. With a slight wave, he went inside.

So she is lying to me.